Influence of proficiency level and constraints on viewpoint switching: a study in web design

Web design is a complex problem in which designers have to consider the user's and the client's viewpoints to make satisfactory websites. Designers, particularly proficient ones, tend to privilege to the client's viewpoint to the detriment of the users' one. Consequently, websites often contain many usability violations and do not fit users' cognitive capacities, hence hampering navigation. The usability quality of websites may be proportional to designers' ability to switch between the client's and the user's viewpoints, which in turn may be influenced by designers' proficiency level. To explore the role of viewpoint switching in web design, performance was compared across three conditions emphasizing either the client's viewpoint, that of the user, or none of them in order to promote or hamper viewpoint switching. This manipulation had a significant effect on proficient designers' performance. Moreover, a significant relation between viewpoint switching and the usability quality of e‐mock‐ups was found. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Narrative Quests and Social Change

In this response to Christian Smith's What Is a Person?, I raise questions about his conception of the human life as a narrative quest and his account of change in social structures and institutions. The metaphor of life as a quest suggests a solid, isolated, and integrated moral agent. I wonder whether the experiences of most moral agents render a different picture—one where life is fragmented and characterized by complex webs of relationships. Smith provides a detailed account of how social institutions change. I pose examples of more subtle and complex types of change as a way to press him to think about whether his account of change is too linear.     

The Effects of a Mental Health Video on the Social Skills Knowledge and Attitudes of Mexican Immigrants1

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a Spanish mental health video, “Cuida Su Salud Mental”, on the relationship attitudes and social skills knowledge of a Mexican immigrant sample. Subjects consisted of 72 Spanish speaking English as a second language (ESL) students recruited from the Paramount Adult School, in the county of Los Angeles. The Solomon (1949) Four Group Design was used. Half of the subjects were pretested on knowledge and attitudes about effective communication skills and relationships, respectively. All subjects view either the mental health video or a control video, and then were posttested on knowledge and attitudes. Results indicated that the mental healthy video (MHV) group exhibited more knowledge, F(1, 62) = 10.61, p= 0.002, and less risky attitudes, F(1, 62) = 4.29, p= 0.043, than the control video group. The MHV group also showed an increase in knowledge from the pretest to the posttest, F(1, 35) = 7.36, p= 0.01. Finally, both video groups reported a decrease in risky attitudes from pretest to posttest, F(1, 34) = 18.21, p= 0.001. These results support the use of “Cuida Su Salud Mental” as a productive and cost-effective mental health intervention that can be used to reach a large segment of the Spanish speaking community.     

Hey Buddy,Can You Spare Seventeen Cents? Mindful Persuasion and the Pique Technique1

According to the pique technique, a target is more likely to comply if mindless refusal is disrupted by a strange or unusual request. We demonstrated the use of this technique in two experiments. In Experiment 1, passersby on a local municipal wharf were approached by a confederate panhandler who made either one of two strange requests: “Can you spare 17¢ (or 37¢)?” or made either one of two typical requests “Can you spare a quarter (or any change)?” Subjects in the strange conditions were almost 60% more likely to give money than those receiving the typical plea. In addition, a strange request piqued interest as evidenced by increased verbal inquiries about the request. Experiment 2 replicated the first experiment in a laboratory setting and provides additional evidence (via a cognitive response analysis) that strange requests piqued subjects' interest in the appeal as well as increased liking for the panhandler.     

Emotional face expressions recognition in childhood: developmental markers,age and sex effect

Cognitive Processing - Recognizing emotional face expressions in others is a valuable non-verbal communication and particularly relevant throughout childhood given that children’s language...     

A social psychological perspective on World War II collaboration in the 21st century: A Belgian case

The present study addresses antecedents and consequences of attitudes towards collaboration in the context of World War II (WWII) in Belgium. A survey conducted on 922 Belgian French- and Dutch-speaking participants shows that, on overall, Dutch-speakers perceive collaboration as more moral and support amnesty of the former collaborators at a higher level than their Francophone counterparts. In addition, we show that these attitudes are predicted by the generational belonging, linguistic and national identification of the participants. Finally, we find that attitudes towards WWII collaboration are linked to specific political prospects for the future of the country only among Dutch-speakers. These findings suggest that, 75 years after its end, the issue of collaboration during WWII still divides the Belgian society. Furthermore, they underline the added value of a multilevel approach in the understanding of social psychological phenomena.     

Aggressive interactions among female,semi-captive pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus) increase within the hierarchy and after short-term removal of the male

Two trials were carried out to determine: (a) if there is a positive relation between the frequency of aggressive interactions among female pampas deer and their position within the hierarchy (HI), (b) if short-term removal of the male triggers an increase in the frequency of aggression, and (c) if the magnitude of this increase is related to the individual rank position of the female. Each of 19 breeding groups comprised one adult male and from four to six adult females. The HI was determined for each female and all aggressive interactions were recorded. These were recorded while the male was present (i.e., all of Trial 1 and the “with male” period in Trial 2) and after removal of the male (i.e., the “without male” period in Trial 2). The individual percentage change in the frequency of aggressive interactions after male removal was calculated. In Trial 1 the HI, the frequency of different types of aggressive interaction and the total of aggressive interactions were positively related (all: p < .001; General Linear Mixed Model [GLMM]). In Trial 2, the frequency of total aggressive interactions increased after male removal (F(1, 27) = 3.5; p < .001; GLMM). The individual percentage changes in aggressive interaction between periods were positively related to HI (F(6, 24) = 2.56; p = .05; GLMM). For female pampas deer maintained in breeding groups, we conclude that the frequency of aggressive interactions increases within the hierarchy. Aggression also increases after the short-term removal of the male, mainly among females of higher social status.     

Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity is reduced in hippocampus of rats submitted to an experimental model of depression: effect of chronic lithium treatment and possible involvement in learning deficits

This study was undertaken to verify the effects of chronic stress and lithium treatments on the hippocampal Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity of rats, as well as to investigate the effects of stress interruption and post-stress lithium treatment on this enzyme activity and on spatial memory. Two experiments were carried out; in the first experiment, adult male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: control and submitted to a chronic variate stress paradigm, and subdivided into treated or not with LiCl. After 40 days of treatment, rats were killed, and Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity was determined. In the second experiment, rats were stressed during 40 days, and their performance was evaluated in the Water Maze task. The stressed group was then subdivided into four groups, with continued or interrupted stress treatment and treated or not with lithium for 30 additional days. After a second evaluation of performance in the Water Maze, rats were killed and Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity was also measured. Results showed an impairment in Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity and in Water Maze performance of chronically stressed rats, which were prevented by lithium treatment and reversed by lithium treatment and by stress interruption. These results suggest that the modulation of Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity may be one of the mechanisms of action of lithium in the treatment of mood disorders.     

Lebanese adolescents’ expectations about social inclusion of peers in intergroup contexts

This study examined the role of group norms, group identity, age, contact, and stereotypes on youths’ decisions to include a peer in an intergroup context portraying Lebanese and American adolescents. Lebanese participants (N = 275), ages 12 and 16 years, were surveyed about expectations for inclusion of an out-group target with similar interests or an in-group target with different interests into their own Lebanese group or another American group. Findings indicated participants focused on shared interests, rather than national identity, when making inclusion decisions for either group and group norms mattered. Older participants expected American peers to be less inclusive towards an out-group peer. Direct contact predicted inclusivity of out-group American peers into one’s own Lebanese group, and indirect media-based contact predicted expectations for inclusivity into an American out-group. Findings have implications for interventions aimed at improving cross-national friendships which, in turn, have the potential to reduce prejudicial attitudes.